SMEV seeks Rs 20,000 cr to promote electric vehicles

Electric vehicle (EV) makers' body SMEV Wednesday sought an allocation of Rs 20,000 crore in the next two years for promoting EVs in the country and also urged the government to impose a "notional green cess" on conventional vehicles in the upcoming interim Budget to fund the drive.

Spelling out their budget wish list, the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) also said phase-II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) must be announced with a six-year plan and time-bound implementation.

"Electric mobility needs stable and long-term policy support, concentrated dose of customer incentives and massive awareness campaign to reach a target of 30 per cent EVs by 2030," said SMEV Director-General Sohinder Gill.

He further said SMEV expects the government to target at least one million EVs in top-10 most-polluted cities across India.

"SMEV recommends a notional green cess on all IC (internal combustion) engine vehicles to create this ...